The president of United States, Donald TrumpIt threatened on Monday (29) to impose substantial tariffs on any country that does not make their furniture in the United States, “he wrote in a publication on Truth Social. “Details below !!!”, he added.
This happened after he announced last week that a 50% rate on kitchen cabinets and bathroom furniture, as well as a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture, would come into force later this week.
It is unclear as Trump’s latest tariff threat would work; Companies, not countries, manufacture furniture. Normally, sectoral rates are uniformly charged, regardless of the country of origin.
Trump’s post, however, seems to suggest a tariff scheme that could require higher rates to countries that send more furniture to the United States than others.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNN questioning.
The president initially announced plans last month to impose higher furniture rates until mid -October.
Furniture prices in the United States have increased in recent months, with the increase in Trump rates on countries such as China and Vietnam, the two main sources of furniture imports.
Both countries exported US $ 12 billion in furniture and utensils last year, according to data from the US Department of Commerce.
Furniture and bedding prices, a comprehensive category monitored by the Consumer Price Index (IPC), rose 0.9% in July and 0.3% in August.
Compared to August 2024, prices are 4.7% higher, the highest increase in three years. This is strongly contrasting with most of the last two and a half years, when prices were falling.
Trump, in his post on Monday morning, said his momentum to impose higher furniture tariffs was to help North Carolina, who, he said, “completely lost his furniture business to China and other countries.”
North Carolina residents can play a crucial role in determining which party controls the Senate, with a chair in dispute for next year’s election, considered a major electoral dispute.
In addition to furniture, Trump also threatened on Monday to impose a 100% rate on films produced in External. Last week, he said a 100% tariff about brand medicines, with some exceptions, and a 25% truck tariff would come into force later this week.
All this happens before an important case at the Supreme Court, which will start in November and will analyze if Trump had a legal authority to impose specific tariffs on each country, alleging economic emergency.
If the court rules against the Trump government, companies may be entitled to major tariff reimbursement.
At the same time, Trump’s sectoral tariffs, which are based on a separate set of national security laws, do not currently face any legal challenge.
*Update
